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Regional Treatment Intensity as an Instrument for the Evaluation of Labour Market Policies

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Author Info
Frölich, Markus () (SIAW, University of St. Gallen and IZA Bonn)
Lechner, Michael (SIAW, University of St. Gallen, CEPR, ZEW and IZA Bonn)

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Abstract

The effects of active labour market policies (ALMP) on individual employment chances and earnings are evaluated by nonparametric instrumental variables based on Swiss administrative data with detailed regional information. Using an exogenous variation in the participation probabilities across fairly autonomous regional units (cantons) generated by the federal government, we identify the effects of ALMP by comparing individuals living in the same local labour market but in different cantons. Taking account of small sample problems occurring in IV estimation, our results suggest that ALMP increases individual employment probabilities by about 15% in the short term for a weighted subpopulation of compliers.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 1095.

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Length: 70 pages
Date of creation: Mar 2004
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Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp1095

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Related research
Keywords: local average treatment effect; active labour market policy; state borders; geographic variation; weak instruments; small sample problems of IV; Switzerland; Fuller estimator;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods
J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, and Vacancies - - - Public Policy

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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    Other versions:
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Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Paul Frijters & Robert Gregory, 2006. "From Golden Age to Golden Age: Australia’s "Great Leap Forward"?," IZA Discussion Papers 2068, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Ammermüller, Andreas & Zwick, Thomas & Boockmann, Bernhard & Maier, Michael, 2007. "Do hiring subsidies reduce unemployment among the elderly? Evidence from two natural experiments," ZEW Discussion Papers 07-001, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
  3. Brian Krogh Graversen & Peter Jensen, 2006. "A Reappraisal of the Virtues of Private Sector Employment Programmes," IZA Discussion Papers 2230, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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